Lobsters have a strong smell of "fish" when being cooked, so we have found doing this outside works pretty well..... this is our gas cooker!!!
So, we called our good friend and lobsterman, Gardner, and asked him to save some for us when he went out this morning...
He was "back in" around 2:30 with the mornings catch and pulled out some "beauties" for tonite's dinner.... you can't get much "fresher" than that...
and some place to go..... The "real" reason that Kas and Nate are home this week, is because their dear friend, Mary, is being married this evening. All these "kids" attended Portsmouth Christian Academy for school.. which at the time, was a small school, so it was easy to become very close friends. But even more so, they have remained close friends in the years since they graduated, and thus Kas and Nate wanting to be at the wedding... Now, Nate wanted to wear his "dress blues" for this special occasion.. but "because he looks so good" they did ask Mary if she would mind if he wore them... she said no problem, in fact, her Dad is a military man, and he was wearing his dress uniform as well. So there will be some "handsome" men at this wedding..... course, we couldn't let the opportunity of a photo shoot get by us... so we took several good pics of them here at the lake!!!!! Nate has put in a lot of long hard hours to be able to wear this uniform, I hope he is as proud of his accomplishments as we are!!!!!
Before the "kids" got dressed up, we ran down to show them the barn. The last time they saw it, was back in March... when the came home and surprised Ed in the hospital... we still had snow then. Dear Ken was there, getting some painting done as the forecast for Monday is rain... and he wanted to get a jump on it. I couldn't help but get this shot..... look at these three... just standing there watching Ken paint.... you'd think they would have picked up some brushes and helped out!!! (and in case you are confused... this is the back side of the barn... the front is all done!!!!)
So, Dave and Deb have headed home to take care of hungry animals.... Kas and Nate are headed off to the wedding... and Ed is sound asleep in his favorite camp chair...
I am blogging...........................
It's hard to believe that the weekend is here again (and half way over to boot)... I hardly ever know "where the time goes", but with Kas and Nate home for a visit this week, it has gone faster than usual. We also had a couple of "extras" in the house, as I was watching a couple of Labradoodle puppies that belong to a client of mine. They had never seen a cat before, so the moment that they arrived, Dancer was a main source of entertainment for them. I don't know how I "lucked" out with her, she is the greatest little cat and from day one, has never let dogs bother her. When we have guest dogs in the house, she introduces herself right from the g
et go.... and more than not, once the dogs have had a chance to check her out, they don't even think of it again. This is a great experience for dogs that haven't been around cats.... dog training, that I don't have to "do"!!!!
They were "great guests" to boot, such nice puppies and it gave me a chance to get some one on one training in with them...... I am thinking that I will do more "in house" training when we get settled in Acton.... a number of my clients love it when they can board/train all in one... the house right now is a little small to provide that kind of service, but the new house will be better planned out for just this sort of thing!!!!
Living "off a well" is going to be a new experience for me. We have a well at camp, but that's a weekend thing (for the moment)... up until now, I have always had town water!!! Course this is the expensive part, getting the well dug... but once it's in.. there won't be any more "quarterly water bills" to worry about (or sewer bills either for that matter), so that's going to
be kind of nice.
I really don't have much to chat about in this blog, but just so "my loyal readers" don't sign on another day and find the same ol' thing.... maybe I can come up with something interesting to talk about....Progress on the barn is rolling right along.... when I look at this "old" picture and compare it to last week's picture.. it reminds me just how far "we" have come on it. Pretty much we are in the detail stages, which is great fun for me, because it's something that I can really be a part of. The tack room walls are all done, the outside (alleyway) walls of the stalls are done.... pretty much the last of the big stuff is making the doors for the outside of the stalls, getting the stall fronts up, and finishing up the back of the barn. Then we need to move to the out outside... ie: fencing and getting the field ready for "visitors"... or rather "residents"......
Kassy and Nate are home for 10 days.... they are mainly here to attend a wedding of a dear friend, but are certainly enjoying the activities of the families. They have been doing all the "tourist" things, which is pretty fun... because as a rule, when you live in a tourist area, you tend to avoid those types of things.... not enjoy them. And of course the next time they head to Maine... it will be for good... and Ed and I will find ourselves "homeless"..... since they are moving into this house and we will be moving north. It's exciting and scary all rolled into one.
I have a confession that I just have to make, and my "horse" friends will know just what I am talking about.... I got "into big trouble" today with my farrier..... he came to trim Silver and Mocha's feet (Tonka is at Laura's)... well, when I pulled Miss Mocha out of her stall.... he was NOT too happy with me.... seems that Mocha is WAY overweight.. and boy, did I get a "talking to" on that!!!! Course, being a mini, it is super important that we carefully watch her weight.... these little ones can founder pretty easy.... and I certainly don't want to deal with anything like that!!!! So, Miss Mocha is on a very strict diet.. and "everyone" at the barn has strict instructions as to "how it's going to be" from now on....... since my farrier comes back in a mere 7 weeks, we have our work cut out for us!!!! "poor little girl".... but I would rather have a "grumpy" horse than a lame one!!!! we'll keep you posted on her progress........
Or use barn stalls as small cages......
My little niece, Naomi and my sister Rachel have come to spend the night with us at camp. It is SO nice to have the activity of a little one around, and she has me laughing at all her antics!!!
A few weeks ago, we were able to get our first few loads of hay in. Everyone was happy, because for the first time in a number of years, hay season "seemed on schedule, maybe even a little early"... THEN... the "weather pattern" hit.... bright sunny morning, humid mid-days, and thunderstorms (BIG thunderstorms... wind/hail/driving rain, etc.) And it seemed that the weather men would say, this pattern should break within the next few days... only to decide later, that it wasn't going to break. NOT good for the hay man!!! 
with the fire department, and we have watched him hay this field for many summers. When we knew that we were going to be living in Acton and would be needing hay, Father was the first one we called. He said he sold it out of the field, and if we wanted some, we just needed to "be there" when he said....So, we go about our business, but always keeping in the back of our minds that "Father" could be calling us any day or time, saying that he was able to get some hay down, and we need to come and get it!!!!!
Yesterday, Father called.... sadly, I had to go to "work" and couldn't help out, but ever faithful Ken was there, and Ed was also ab
le to grab brother Bill.... they brought in another 120 bales. Then this afternoon, Father was able to get another section down and baled, so I postponed my dog student and ran up to help bring in this batch. One more to go and we will have next winter's hay all tucked safely in the barn.
I feel so fortunate, because even as Father has been baling and Ed and Ken loading, people have been stopping by the field to see if they can buy some hay. We pretty much bought the "first field"... so Father just politely tells them.. "sorry, it's spoken for". Now, more than likely there will be a second cutting (which is usually better quality), but I am pretty happy with this hay and just feel happy that I know I have it, and don't have to "worry"..... and just before we went to get hay... look how far Ed and Ken got on the barn today.... it's no wonder that my dear hubby falls into bed at night and sleeps until the dawn!!!!
Moxie, by the way, is absolutely loving this life of "being a farm dog".... good thing she didn't know about this life style during her show days... she might have decided showing was a waste of time, when you could be doing things like this..... She sat and watched us bring hay into the loft, jumped in the gator when I parked it inside tonite, and generally loves checking out the farm and all it's goings on.......
to leave the "t-111" and just stain it to protect the wood. But on the "face" sides, I thought that shingles would be nice. I guess I like the look because my Grandfather's old barn had shingles and they weathered into a silver gray... I don't remember him ever having much maintenance with them. So, I opted for shingles.
I am sure that you have heard the saying.... "if you want the most comfortable seat in the house, move the dog!!" well, I don't think that the couch is the MOST comfortable seat in the house, but Trevor sure has found his spot!!! Actually, the dogs are always "so busy" at camp, that when they come inside, they are happy to crash. Nothing like the good behavior of a tired dog!!!!Despite the warnings of today being rainy and messy, Ed was up bright and early to head out for the NASCAR race. Now, usually I have "girls day" at the camp when Ed heads to the races, but this year, it just got by me somehow. One thing is the race came earlier in the summer than it has in the past and the other is, we have been working so hard, that I tend to lose track of the days.
Either way, I had planned on getting some shopping done and dropping in on my friend, Aileen... but, when the sun broke out and I had the chance to get some outside work done around here... I changed plans as well... (sorry Aileen... I owe you a visit!!!)
This morning, I saw 6 loons out "fishing" in front of the camp. They hung around for the longest time, and I wished I had a better lens on my camera... they are so beautiful.
Hey.. maybe that's Trevor's "problem".... the loons have sung him to sleep.
One of the highlights of my week, is meeting up with "the other side of the family".... (ie: Deb and Dave) and catching up on the news of the week. It's a rare Saturday evening that we don't get together somewhere, to chat and enjoy each other's company.... I feel so blessed that we have such a great family!!! there are no "in-laws" jokes or slams when it comes to this family.Just so no one "gets stuck" with all the traveling we always try to come up with a halfway point to meet... course we do enjoy wonderful cookouts and the like at each other's houses, but when we eat out, we try to find that in between spot. Now, for years, that spot has been between Brentwood and York, but since we are spending more time in Acton (and soon to be EVEN MORE time) we needed to find a "new" halfway..... tonite it was at Wild Willy's in Rochester. There is also a Wild Willy's in York, so we know what to expect, but unlike the York location, we walked right in tonite and got a table. Same wonderful burgers, fries and onion rings, and the same wonderful friends and conversation... just a new halfway..... we will be looking for other halfways in the times ahead, but this is our first one!!!!!
to be with us.... one thing about a cocker, if you don't like dog that MUST be with you every moment of your life.... don't get a cocker.... if they are anymore than one foot away from you... it's way too much!!!!! they only can enjoy the "great outdoors" when you are there with them.......
We began this "barn building project" the day after Thanksgiving when the first load of lumber arrived. Now, about 6 months later, we are beginning to put the "finishing touches" on the building. This is very exciting, because the time is really getting close... and it's actually some work that I can do!!!!Because the ally way runs a real risk of getting wet (barn doors left open during a rain, wet horses shaking of the water) we decided to try Thompson's water seal on the walls. We found one that already has a nice "honey stain" in it, and are very pleased with the outcome. Not only is the wood protected, but it gives the barn a "nice warm feeling".....
And you give your "gator" a bath after using it for transporting wood to the woodpile!!!!!!
metimes... in my opinion... they over look many wonderful homes due to some standard that a home may not meet. Deb was denied because she did not have a fenced- in yard... I tried to explain to them that she would be an excellent home, but my recommendations fell on deaf ears. (however, Deb did apply to Cocker Rescue of Maine, and adopted her little Hallie dog who she dearly loves!!!)
We have been "in our camp" for about 10 summers now, and during this time, one job that has never been done is... pulls on the doors and drawers in the kitchen. Every summer as we grab at the corners to open them, we comment ...."we really need to find some pulls". I didn't want "just any pull" and I have been looking in several different places for ones that would be just right. This spring I finally found them...
They look like twigs.. and I think they are perfect for a camp kitchen. So, we ordered them, and they have been sitting here for over a month waiting for a few moments to have Ed get them into place.
Well, thanks to this afternoon thunderstorms... Ed thought it was just as good a time as any to get them put up...
And so he did.....
(No Camille is not helping, she ran to him when I was "busy" taking pictures!!!..poor girl!!!)
So, now we won't "break" our fingers when trying to open a door or drawer... just goes to prove.. that even when the dark comes down, there is always something productive that can be done!!!!!
This picture doesn't really look like much, but what I was trying to show was a thunderstorm that was heading across the lake. We had been hearing the rumbles all afternoon.... so, we knew we were in for a "good one". I am NOT a fan of thunderstorms, and was very glad that Ed was here with me... er, us... for the dogs are all here as well.
I don't understand what is going on with the weather, we are getting "August" weather and its only June. For the past week, we have had thunderstorms almost daily... and not just rain and thunder, but lots of lightening and often hail. It's kind of creepy. This, of course, has brought haying to a screeching halt, I was hoping that all our hay would be in by now, but we still only have the first two loads brought in over a week ago. I am sure the "farmers" are just as unhappy about this!!!
Camille on the other hand... is a total wreck!!! And no matter what you try to do for her, nothing is good enough. I did get a "remedy" from the holistic vet, but as the rain really opened up.. it was too late to run to the truck and try to get it. I wished I had tried it, for as "fierce" as this storm has been, it would have been a good test for it.... oh well, I fear there will be many other storms this summer and next time, I will be prepared.
Here's Hunter and Trevor snoozing on the couch (you can see in the background how dark it was... this was at 2:00 in the afternoon)... Poor Tazzy is trying to find a place to cuddle in with them... but they hardly care about that. So, as I happily blog and Camille trembles at my feet, we are seeing a bit of bright sky on it's way....
Whew... it's almost over
Even though "we" are bringing in hay, getting docks into the lake, pre-packing the house, sorting out the last details on the house plans, lining up electricians, plumbers and the like....Ed and Ken still manage to continue working in the barn... this week we have the beginnings of the last three walk out box stalls... it's really beginning to look like horse barn!!!!
